ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 30, 2022
I was having a rather lively conversation with someone in regard to God’s love, and I was intrigued when his response to something I said was, “Yes, but…” The old adage tends to be true: Anything before the word ‘but’ really does not count. When I suggested God’s love be extended to a certain group of people, the response was, “Well yes, but…” What followed the “but” was a series of reasons why God’s love was not extended to that group. It was amazing how an affirmation could so quickly be spun into an exclusion with the use of the word: ‘but.
I think about important passages in scripture for which I am thankful there was no “but.
For God so loved the world, but…
Love your neighbor, but…
Pray for those who persecute you, but
Forgive 70×7, but…
Welcome the stranger, but…
Had Jesus used a lot of “buts,” we would have a very different understanding of the Gospel, one that I don’t think would have been good news for most.
With both gratitude and joy, we celebrate the Good News revealed in Jesus. God of immeasurable welcome and boundless compassion, we seek to align our thinking with your holy opinion of creation. There is not an Us vs. Them, an Insider Club and an Outsider Club. There is only your beloved creation, including every single human being. Thanks for allowing Jesus to clear that up, and sorry for our on-going use of the notorious and damaging “but.” Amen.
